Meng Jiuning unfolded the map of the southern route of Dali again and weighed down the four corners with a paperweight.
He dipped his finger in ink and drew a curved line between Mojie City and Jingtai City.
"There are three old post stations here, nominally belonging to the Dali royal family, but actually guarded by Marquis Mu's confidants."
Liu Ruyan asked, "What are your trusted confidants called?"
" Deng Yue, forty-six years old, has an old scar on his face that runs from his brow bone to his ear. He likes raising eagles, is afraid of the cold, and doesn't go out in winter." Meng Jiuning moved her pen to the side of the post station. "He accepts tribute three times a year: the first time for tea, the second time for silver, and the third time for women."
Liu Ruyan took out a thin booklet. "Women?"
"Yes, women. Most were given to Marquis Mu's personal guards, and the rest went to the inner quarters of Mojie City." Meng Jiuning's tone was calm, but the ink lines pressed deep marks on the paper. "I know six of their names, and their ages and origins are also recorded."
"Leave it to me."
"Can."
Liu Ruyan raised her eyes. "Aren't you going to ask me what I'm going to do with it?"
"I believe Sister Liu." Meng Jiuning continued drawing. "Take this; it can wipe out everyone on that line."
Liu Ruyan did not answer and put away the booklet.
Su Yao leaned closer. "I've calculated the tax revenue for the southern route."
Meng Jiuning looked at the abacus. "So fast?"
She took the abacus, picked up the beads, and stopped calculating after the third line.
"If the southern route's harvest decreases by 20% this year, the tea tax can still support military spending. The copper mines cannot be touched for the time being; doing so would cut off trade routes."
Su Yao's hand stopped on the abacus.
Meng Jiuning looked up. "I didn't say I was handing over the entire copper mine to you. The contract only stipulates the mining rights; the miners, transportation routes, and copper smelting will all be handled jointly by Dali and Yi Prefecture."
"You've kept a backup plan."
"If I didn't have a backup plan, I would have died in the Dali palace long ago."
After she finished speaking, she reached for another piece of paper.
"Doing it your way is not impossible, but I have conditions."
Su Yao raised her eyes. "Speak."
"I will provide the list and the map of the southern route. The Prince's Palace will not only help me stabilize Dali, but will also send experts to protect my two younger brothers in Dali."
The warm room fell silent.
"They're eight and thirteen, respectively. They don't understand military or political matters, and they haven't participated in the fighting." Meng Jiuning pressed her finger on the paper. " Dali falls into chaos, I'm afraid they'll be used as a sacrifice."
Yi Prefecture City.
The roof of the abandoned post station was missing two tiles, and the wind blew down through the gap, causing the oil lamp in the corner to flicker.
Chen Qing lay sprawled on the bench, two old felt pads under his waist. Batuer squatted beside him, holding a bowl of medicine. He first looked at the wound on Chen Qing's back, then at the bowl of medicine.
"Take your medicine."
Chen Qing reached out to take it, but as soon as she raised her arm, the movement aggravated the wound on her back, causing her to lean back onto the bench, her forehead resting on the back of her hand.
" Brother Ba, could you please feed me? I've been traveling all night, and my wound is healing slowly."
Batuer pushed the medicine bowl forward, saying, "I never imagined you were working for Prince An. I really misjudged you."
"Ah, Brother Ba, you don't understand. I'm just observing to see which prince has the best chance of winning. I'm exhausted. I'm strategizing and making decisions from afar every day. I'm doing this for our own good."
"And what were the results of your observations?"
" Prince An still has a better chance of winning. Look, he used a self-inflicted injury ruse on me. He's good at using tricks."
"You're saying this injury, so severe, was a ploy by Prince An to trick you into this state?"
Chen Qing raised his face; his lips were cracked and his complexion was worse than plaster, but his eyes shone with an alarming light.
" Brother Ba, think about it. The whole Prince An's Residence saw that the board fall on me. The news will soon spread to the capital and Yi Prefecture. People will think I did a bad job, or even that Prince An has already abandoned me."
Batuer held the bowl of medicine to his lips. "Isn't that right?"
Chen Qing took a sip, the bitter taste making his throat tight. He swallowed it while suppressing a cough before saying, "You still don't understand. You only know that I got beaten, but actually I won big."
"Yes, yes, you're the only one who knows, you're the only one who wins, why don't you just call yourself the King of Knowledge?"
Chen Qing used the bench to turn over, her cheek twitching in pain, and her hand grabbed Batuer's sleeve.
" Prince An lost his temper in public on South Street, grain prices in Anyang doubled, soup kitchens were smashed by the people, and everyone outside is cursing him. What do you think?"
Batuer held the medicine bowl and thought carefully for a moment, " Prince An is ill."
"Completely wrong! This is precisely where Prince An's brilliance lies; this is called self-degradation."
"Didn't you say he was chasing after girls?"
"The more absurd it is, the more it lowers people's guard. Look at the past, who considered your prince a rival?"
Batuer looked at the wound on his back, put down the medicine bowl, and said, "What you're saying is giving me a headache."
Chen Qing lay back down, letting out a breath as the movement aggravated his injuries. He spoke in a low voice, "The price of grain is raised to force out the powerful grain hoarders. The soup kitchens are smashed to draw out the people who truly control the grain in the region. Prince An deliberately allowed the chaos to continue, waiting for everyone to step forward before wiping them all out in one fell swoop."
"Is that really what Prince An intends to do?"
I guess so.
Batuer stared at him for a long time, then turned his face away, his shoulders shaking.
Chen Qing reached out and grabbed the edge of the bed. "What are you laughing at?"
"I wasn't laughing."
Your shoulders are shaking.
I find you interesting.
Batuer finally turned his head, a smile still on his face, " The Prince An's Residence is short of food now. Even the rice in the mansion's granary has been transferred out to support soup kitchens. The grain store in the west of the city was almost burned down. You say this is a grand strategy?"
Chen Qing propped herself up and stared at him. "Yes, the greater the food shortage, the more likely it is to force out those who have hidden food."
"The princess is using treasury money to buy old rice; is this also a strategic move?"
" Prince An's Consort was merely offering advice on behalf of Prince An; it's an act between husband and wife, and outsiders would find it hard to tell the difference."
Batuer picked up the bowl of medicine and shoved it directly to his lips. "Alright, alright, finish your medicine, then make up stories for Prince An."
Chen Qing was forced to drink two sips, the bitterness bringing tears to his eyes, yet he still refused to give in.
"You really don't understand. Prince An hit me, but he gave me five thousand taels of silver."
What do you need the silver notes for?
" Brother Ba, I'm injured and can't ride a horse. Brother Ba go to Cypress Village to find Yang Tie and get the second batch of miraculous medicine."
Batuer stopped, his hand still. " Yang Tie? Yang Tie is gone."
Chen Qing raised his head.
"What did you say?"
"I told you Yang Tie is gone, and the pharmacy is empty." Batuer put the medicine bowl back on the table. " Xue Huan said that Yang Tie ran away with the prescription and medicine box, but later encountered them. The people sent by Prince An's Residence were also there, and a fight broke out. Yang Tie was taken away by a hunter."
Chen Qing straightened up, leaning on the bench. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as his wound was aggravated.
"Hunter?"
" Tubo."